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"In His law he meditates day and night" Psalm 1:2
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Analysis of Ephesians 5:19 And Colossians 3:16
Volume 13, Number 9
Wayne Burger |
August 10, 2008 |
Meditating on the Word
"In His law he meditates day and night" Psalm 1:2
"Meditating on the Word," edited by Wayne Burger, is a work of the Columbine church of Christ, 7453 S. Zephyr Ct., Littleton, Colorado, 80128. E-mail: burgpreach@prolynx.com -- Suggested topics are welcomed.
Vol. 13 No. 9 August 10, 2008
Analysis of Ephesians 5:19
And Colossians 3:16
The events and emotions of everyday life in a society are expressed in the songs that are sung by that society. Singing seems to be the natural way that God has enabled humanity to express his sorrows as well as his joys. Every society throughout the ages has recorded its current events and emotions in the lyrics of songs its citizens sing. Thus, whatever people have felt strongly about, they have expressed in music, particularly in singing. Think about the history of this country that can be found it its songs. What about the patriotic songs during the World Wars, or the rebellious thoughts in society during the 1960s? What men and women fill compassionate about, they express in poetry which is often put to music.
What is true with regard to the passions of secular men and women in society ought to be just as true with spiritual men and women with regard to their feelings for God. That is why one would naturally connect music with worship to God. Those who have deep feelings about their God want to express those feelings. What better way than putting one’s feelings into words that are sung as an expression of worship and honor to God?
Based on the past history of music, civilizations, and humanity, it’s no wonder that the Christians in the first century sang. An inspired brother of Jesus said, “Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises” James 5:13 NASU. If a Christian feels great joy about his Christianity, he’ll want to praise God for that joy. And, in contrast to joy, if one is struggling with life, he will also want to express that struggle to God in his songs.
But, just because one may express his emotions to God in a certain way doesn’t prove that God accepts what that man has offered. The important question for all worshipers to ask is, “Does God accept what I am offering?” The only way for that question to be answered is to let God answer it. Too often in today’s society men think that if they like something, God also likes it. That isn’t authorization from God, but from man. That makes man the center of worship rather than God. Even though singing is a natural response that men offer to God, the church doesn’t sing just because it is a natural response. The church sings because she knows that God accepts that form of worship (Hebrews 13:15).
Paul, in Ephesians 5:18-19 and Colossians 3:16-17, gives important details about worship through song. In this article the writer wants to compare, analyze, and draw applications from these two passages. Even though they are common verses to the reader, the writer wants to give them as they appear in the New American Standard, 1995 updated version of the Bible. “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father.” The Colossian passage says, “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”
Comparisons
It can be shown that these two books were written about 62 A.D. by Paul (Colossians 1:1; Ephesians 1:1) during the time of his first Roman imprisonment. Since the books of Ephesians and Colossians are very similar in many aspects, one would expect these verses to also be very similar in structure and message. Ephesians tells us to “be filled with the Spirit” while the Colossians passage tells us to “let the word of Christ richly dwell within” us. Ephesians tells us to “speak” to one another while Colossians tells us to “teach and admonish” one another. Both give three different kinds of songs – “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.” A psalm is a song from the book of Psalms, a hymn is a song that praises God, and a spiritual song may not offer praise to God, but rather it exhorts Christian. Even though it is not a song that praises God, it is a song about spiritual truths as opposed to a song that is secular in nature. God, not only wants songs that praise Him, He wants songs that teach, admonish, and encourage Christians in their Christian life. Both passages also exhort us to sing with “thanksgiving.” Christian hearts should be filled with thanksgiving for all that God has done for us. Since that is true, one wants to express that to the One who gave us those blessings. Both passages also indicate that the singing is worship because each says that the singing is addressed “to God.” Worship is accomplished when one dedicates the thoughts and intentions of his heart and mind to God. Worship must be intentional. Even though the brethren who participate in the singing will be educated and encouraged, the purpose of singing is to honor and glorify God. The word “sing” indicates that it is oral, while both passages indicate that the melody is from or in the heart.
Notice also that in both passages the phrase “in the name of the Lord Jesus” is found. In our society today, as it was in that day, when one does something in the name of another person it indicates that he has authority from that person to do it. Thus the phrase, “in the name of the Lord Jesus” indicates that singing is done by the authority of Christ. One can find a parallel to this in the Old Testament where instrumental music was authorized by God through similar language. The writer of II Chronicles said, “He then stationed the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with harps and with lyres, according to the command of David and of Gad, the king’s seer, and of Nathan the prophet; for the command was from the LORD through His prophets” II Chronicles 29:25. Here, one finds authorization from God to use instrumental music in worship during the time that the Mosaical law was in effect.
Therefore, worship through song today is not just because it comes from human emotion. It is authorized by God. Not only does Paul say that we must have authorization from God to sing, he also said that whatever one does to worship God must be done by God’s authorization (Colossians 3:17). This is the root of the problem in the religious world as a whole, and even in our own brotherhood. Men no longer believe that they have to have authorization for whatever they offer as worship. Too many today believe that God accepts anything that man offers and therefore if man likes it, God must like it.
Even though the purpose of singing is to worship God, a by-product is the edification and admonition that comes to those who are worshiping. As Christians worship God, they also encourage one another to continue to live a faithful Christian life and motivate one another to live so as too be given a heavenly home.
What motivates one to do something is very important in all aspects of life. Paul begins the discussion on worship in song in Ephesians by talking about motivation. He contrasts worldly motivation with spiritual motivation. Barclay says, “The heathen found his happiness in filling himself with wine and with all the pleasures which are worldly pleasures; the Christian found his happiness in the fact that he was filled with the Spirit” (The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians by William Barclay, p. 197). Drunkenness will produce unintelligible sounds, while being filled with the Spirit will produce intelligible messages. The Christian’s motivation is because he is Spirit filled.
“Be filled with the Spirit” is a command that is followed by four participles (speaking, singing, making melody, giving thanks) that explain how to be filled with the Spirit. In such Greek constructions, the participles carry the same command authority as is found in the command to be filled with the Spirit. Thus, God is commanding that each person speak through singing, while he is making melody from a thankful heart.
Summary and Conclusions
In these two passages the followers of God have in summary form, what worship in song is all about. First, it is worship because it is directed to God. Second, it is expressed orally through speaking. That speaking is done through singing a variety of kinds of songs, psalms, hymn, and spiritual songs. The melodies of those songs come from one’s heart. Third, this worship is done by the authority of Jesus Christ. Fourth, this worship is to come from a heart that is filled with thankfulness. Fifth, as a by-produce, those who participate are not only worshiping God, but they are also being edified, admonished, and strengthened as they worship. May each of us better understand the reason, purpose, and method of worshiping God in the songs that we sing. It is a wonderful way in which Christians can combine their efforts to offer to God acceptable worship, and at the same time gain personally from this effort.
Wayne Burger
“But an hour is coming and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth”
John 4:23-24
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